Mark Boateng: The biochemist on the path of Africa’s best IT professional

April 6, 2017

“The desire to see the next generation live a better life than the previous is something that inspires me. I believe a life that is well lived is a life that was lived trying to better the lot of the next generation”.

A product of Achimota Senior High school and the University of Ghana, Legon, Mark Boateng has taken a path most young men and women have considered in recent times but the unique story about a humble, ambitious and God-fearing Mr. Boateng is one which will serve as motivation for all.

Online journalist Nana Afrane Asante (NA) gets up close with Mark Boateng (MB) as they delve into his steady growth as one of Ghana’s and Africa’s IT specialists with the intention to leave a ‘mark’ and lasting legacy.

NA: Who is Mark Boateng?

MB: Mark Boateng is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of McAbe Solutions, an Information Technology firm based in Accra, Ghana. He is a product of Achimota Secondary School and the University of Ghana where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry and Botany (Combined/Double Major). Though he has a biological sciences background and has worked in various fields with this, such as proving consultancy work in environmental management to mainly companies in the mining and manufacturing sector, his love for technology made him undertake a career change. He therefore enrolled and obtained a Certificate in Desktop and Network Administration from the National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT). He has since worked as an IT Support Officer with Vodafone Ghana. He has a practical knowledge of computer hardware assembly, upgrade and repairs, computer networking, setup and administration of servers, graphics designing and website design.

His company, McAbe Solutions, has won three awards in its three years of operation, namely, The SME IT Solutions firm of the year 2016, Ghana, in the Global Excellence Awards, awarded by the Acquisition International Magazine, UK, The Technology Start-up of the year 2016, in the Ghana Start-up Awards, awarded by The Start-up Network and the SME IT solutions form of the year 2015, Ghana, in the African Business Awards, awarded by Corporate Visions Magazine, UK.

NA: What has been your inspiration?

MB: The desire to see the next generation live a better life than the previous is something that inspires me. I believe a life that is well lived is a life that was lived trying to better the lot of the next generation.

NA: What are your thoughts on entrepreneurship in Ghana?

MB: Entrepreneurship I think is the best way for solving the unemployment situation in Ghana. But the conditions in the country do not encourage that. Government can help in boosting the entrepreneurship drive in the country by providing access to start-up capital, training on the management of businesses and tax incentives/holidays. Besides these, government could set up business incubators for start-ups, so such places can be used as offices for such start-ups. With this, businesses looking for the services of these start-ups can easily locate them.

NA: Would you encourage young people like yourself to delve into entrepreneurship?

MB: Yes, I’ll encourage young people like myself to delve into entrepreneurship. I believe the Creator didn’t create all of us to be employees, so some will have to employers by taking advantage of their God-given talents. The timing to start being an employer is however what mostly scares young people. But I believe it’s good to start early in order to make all the mistakes there is the need to make before one grows.

NA: What’s the way forward for growing businesses in Ghana?

MB: There are just too many small businesses in Ghana offering the same services or products. The way forward for growing businesses I think, is to form mergers/partnerships. This will enable these growing businesses to pool together resources (financial and human resource) and thereby drive the business at a speed that is faster than they would have done if they were operating individually.

Mark Boateng has proven to be an ambitious young man who has a lot to offer the youth and young entrepreneurs springing up in Ghana and across the continent.